First time new to your channel. Congratulations on choosing a FJ Cruiser! A few questions for you and excuse me if you have answered them previously. Before I ask I will tell you I have a somewhat stock 2007 FJ Cruiser - 4x4 , rear locking diff, with "A" track. Toyota as per the manual says maximum towing capacity is 5000 pounds. Now the questions: how much does your trailer weigh (dry- meaning without grey water or potable water?). Does you FJ have a manual (stick) or an auto transmission? Does your FJ have heavier duty shocks on the rear for towing? Does your camper trailer have trailer brakes? Does your FJ have a brake controller if the trailer has brakes? Have you considered putting a weight distribution hitch on your camper? The reason I am asking these questions is two fold: your safety (to point out things that you may not have considered) and I had considered doing the same thing with my FJ until I consulted a friend who has a camper and a much bigger truck (RAM 2500 with a Cummins diesel). Upon researching trailers - my friend and I have only come up with one trailer manufacturer that falls under the maximum towing weight of the FJ and that is a Casita (made in Texas). These Casitas are very light and made of Fiberglass. They however are very expensive and in the current market it is difficult to find a used one. Good luck on your adventures!
Hi, thanks for dropping by my channel. Most of your questions are already answered in the FAQs posted in the video description. I'll answer what's not currently posted there: (1) Samson has an automatic transmission, but I drive him like a stick when stowing, i.e. I gear down to lower gears for hills and I rarely tow in D. (2) I didn't change the shocks on my FJ, but I recently installed airbags on the rear suspension. (3) It is illegal (as far as I know) to tow a trailer of this size without trailer brakes, so yes, I have those installed. A distribution hitch is also mandatory. (4) I'm not sure why you're having a hard time finding trailers sized for the FJ Cruiser and other smaller trucks/SUVs. I had no issues finding compatible trailers. I would recommend looking at the Rockwood Geo Pros and some of the Coachmen because they are not as wide, which means less wind resistance, easier towing and better MPG. I think they are also less pricey than the Casitas and they are also made of fiberglass, instead of the corrugated aluminum (my trailer is too). All other questions are answered in the FAQs. Thanks again for dropping by and good luck!
Thank you and thanks for watching! Samson has been an amazing travel companion. I take good care of my old boy. How many miles you got? I'm creeping up on 200k at the moment. 😮
Hello fellow FJ owner! Friendly tip that will change the game for you: invest in some real tires. At a bare minimum, All Terrain tires or hybrid RT style tires. Your traction and durability are going to go up several degrees of magnitude. 🤘🤘 You will likely wonder how you drove so many miles without them. They will look way better too;) Made the move myself years ago never looked back.
Hi Madison! I have Adventure Cooper tires on and haven't had any issues. I've taken Samson up and down sand dunes and have never gotten stuck, so I'm not quite sure I need A/Ts. He's due for new tires now though, so I'm still weighing the pros and cons of losing .5 to 1 MPG with A/Ts. I travel a lot, so those miles add up. Consider that this was on my way to Wyoming in the summer and I am now traveling in Mexico. Happy travels and thanks for watching. ☺️
The FJ doesn't have an MPG gauge. Toyota was smart. 😂 I can probably tow for about 3 hours on a full tank. Further if I go slow, even if it's uphill. Speed is a big determining factor, as well as whether I'm driving into winds or if the wind is behind me.
I’m at the point where I need a different vehicle, I have a company car which I’m very blessed to have but I want an off road or something reliable and I’m looking at the new Toyota tundra but I love and have always loved the Toyota FJ cruiser so I’ve been watching a ton of videos and yours just happened to pop up and The funny thing is we have a black kitty who hates to travel lol and I want to tow but I keep hearing that they are awful on gas mileage? How’s the reliability? And great video
Thank you! The FJ Cruiser is one of the most reliable little boogers you'll ever own. Believe it or not, mine has 191,000 miles and I have had no issues. All I've ever done is regular maintenance and changing the headlamps once. I tow with mine and love it, but I've never towed with anything else for comparison. Check the video description for my full tow setup and advice for towing with the FJ. Keep in mind that EVERYTHING has terrible gas mileage when it tows, the Tundra included. I hope you manage to convince your kitty to join you on the road. Mine has come to love it. And thanks for watching my videos. I hope you subscribe and stay tuned for more. 🙏🏽
The FJ Cruiser doesn't have an MPG guage. Toyota knew we'd cry if we knew what the MPG actually is. 😅 I'd say I can tow for about 2.5 hours on a full tank (19 gallons) and that I can drive for about 4hrs on a full tank when not towing.
@@AlexisChateau How many miles do you go in the 2.5 hours or full tank? I had a lifted fj with 33s and I generally get around 230 miles on a full tank.
I don't check my miles. I check my hours. Ultimately, I don't care how far I travel. I care how long I'm on the road for the day, so that's just how I've always done it.
The struggle is real! 😅 After getting to Wyoming, I started experimenting with towing in 4 instead of D after seeing it on a forum. I use waaaay less gas that way and my mechanics say it helps protect my transmission by preventing the FJ from going into overdrive. If you ever need to do long towing journeys again, definitely ask your mechanic if that's a good idea for your vehicle. Happy travels! 😊
I have considered Rotopax, but they were fresh out when I looked originally. I bought one of those cheap gas station ones and hated it, so I gave it away. Now, I've just gotten better at planning gas station stops. I don't count miles because they don't account for hills and mountain passes. I count hours. I can travel for 2.25 hours on 3 quarter tank of gas. My FJ tank capacity is 19 gallons.
I put a 14 gallon custom made tank on the back of my 2007 FJ. It is from Titan tanks. It mounts between the rear window and the spare tire. @@AlexisChateau
Together so those tires you had replaced run your trailer, right? Do you know how many miles you've had on those tires? And were those the original tires when you bought the trailer and if so did you know how many miles were on those tires? It seems weird that they were getting ready to fail that way. And I wonder if those were defective tires to begin with. Do you keep track of how many miles you put on your trailer tires?
I don't think it's strange. Tires dry rot when parked and when exposed to the sun. I bought the trailer used and those are the original tires, so I don't know how many miles are on them. One blew out while the original owners had them, so one was the spare. That's why the "new spare" was different from the others. Stock RV tires are called China bombs by RVers because they usually come from China and they blow out easily.
@@AlexisChateau Yes I know trailers tires dry rot as I've had to replace the tires on my llama trailer a few times cuz it sits more than anything else. It's not so much the tread area as it is the sidewall that rots the most because it's exposed to the sun the most. And It seems hard to find quality trailer tires unlike it's much easier to find quality automobile tires. The best thing is that somebody caught it before you had a big problem.
@@russlewis5112 Agreed! I was laughing with mom and saying what a good thing this man thought I was attractive and came nosing in my business without being a creep. If he had been creepy, I would have hopped in, drove away......and had two blowouts on the highway! He also didn't charge me to replace the tires. He only charged me for the cost of the tires themselves. The ones I have now are excellent quality. He showed me the 8 ply versus the 10 and 12. The 12 was so much better.
Hey hope your having fun and staying safe. Had a question for ya. I see you are running a weight distribution hitch and sway control. Had you ran the FJ prior without and then decided to install the weight distribution hitch/sway control or did you just get it from the beginning? Asking as I’m questioning whether I need to invest in one or not. Thanks 😊
Hey, I run a weight distribution hitch but no anti-sway bars. I've had mine from the get-go and would never tow without. I write for TAXA Outdoors. Scroll through to the tow setup part: taxaoutdoors.com/how-to-pick-the-right-tow-vehicle-for-your-rig/ Maybe you'll find it helpful. All the best!
The trailer weighs 3,290 lbs dry as per the official sticker on the side and the specs for that year and model. No need to speculate and weigh with your eyes over the internet. The information is publicly available online.
Oh man I could imagine the gas mileage I don’t haul anything with my Fj and it’s still not the best going on trips lol btw how much does your trailer weigh? And how does the stopping power with it connected?
I get better gas mileage than a lot of other RVers, so I've learned to be grateful, especially considering that I can detach once I get to camp. 😅 I have trailer brakes installed and have never had any issues with stopping power or jack-knifing during emergency stops. My goal is always to stay 80% or less under my FJ's towing capacity. You can find the full specs in the FAQs in the description.
@@AlexisChateau we’re all weird in our own way, and that’s what makes us unique and special. By the way, what year is your FJ, and how many miles does it have? Mine is a 2008 with 150k and still runs like new. In process of purchasing an off-road teardrop trailer to tow behind.
Those who are weird are NOT boring. They are themselves, unlike others. How it should be in this world because we are all different. STAY WEIRD! (I actually have a shirt that says this) Thanks for your video. Ive been wanting a camper so bad. I've finally got the moolah to buy one and have been hesitant. My husband (who knows nothing about it 1st hand as he has RUclips knowledge about it) is so against it. So now I'm thinking about the unthinkable. Getting a new towing vehicle. I can't imagine this as my "black betty" is mine. I have made it mine and I love it the same as my other toy. A '14 corvette C7 Stingray Z51 Conv. Your videos have made me much more confident in just moving forward and buying a camper. My fj is lifted however. So I am trying to stay under 3000 lbs and looking for oversized tires on the trailer. Getting all the towing extras etc. Thanks again. You sure are brave. I hope to start adventuring solo with my 2 Pitts and a husky really soon.
Hi Misty! I'm sorry to hear your husband isn't interested in RVing with you. I've heard of married people who travel solo part-time. Some eventually convince their spouses, so there's always hope! Staying small and using the FJ is probably your best bet. I chose not to lift my FJ because I've heard it can affect towing stability, but that really depends on the clearance of the trailer you choose. Overland trailers have higher clearance, so keep that in mind. They can be pretty pricey too though! Wishing you all the best and good luck. And thank you for the kind words. ❤️ If you have questions or want to bounce some ideas around, feel free to reach out. You can also check the links in the description for my newsletter. I share tips for the road. Happy travels!
Thanks for the content! Colorado is the spot. Headed to Ouray soon! Stay safe and happy!
Thanks for watching! I'm actually headed back to Colorado tomorrow. Stay safe and happy, yourself. :)
First time new to your channel. Congratulations on choosing a FJ Cruiser! A few questions for you and excuse me if you have answered them previously. Before I ask I will tell you I have a somewhat stock 2007 FJ Cruiser - 4x4 , rear locking diff, with "A" track. Toyota as per the manual says maximum towing capacity is 5000 pounds. Now the questions: how much does your trailer weigh (dry- meaning without grey water or potable water?). Does you FJ have a manual (stick) or an auto transmission? Does your FJ have heavier duty shocks on the rear for towing? Does your camper trailer have trailer brakes? Does your FJ have a brake controller if the trailer has brakes? Have you considered putting a weight distribution hitch on your camper? The reason I am asking these questions is two fold: your safety (to point out things that you may not have considered) and I had considered doing the same thing with my FJ until I consulted a friend who has a camper and a much bigger truck (RAM 2500 with a Cummins diesel). Upon researching trailers - my friend and I have only come up with one trailer manufacturer that falls under the maximum towing weight of the FJ and that is a Casita (made in Texas). These Casitas are very light and made of Fiberglass. They however are very expensive and in the current market it is difficult to find a used one. Good luck on your adventures!
Hi, thanks for dropping by my channel. Most of your questions are already answered in the FAQs posted in the video description. I'll answer what's not currently posted there: (1) Samson has an automatic transmission, but I drive him like a stick when stowing, i.e. I gear down to lower gears for hills and I rarely tow in D. (2) I didn't change the shocks on my FJ, but I recently installed airbags on the rear suspension. (3) It is illegal (as far as I know) to tow a trailer of this size without trailer brakes, so yes, I have those installed. A distribution hitch is also mandatory. (4) I'm not sure why you're having a hard time finding trailers sized for the FJ Cruiser and other smaller trucks/SUVs. I had no issues finding compatible trailers. I would recommend looking at the Rockwood Geo Pros and some of the Coachmen because they are not as wide, which means less wind resistance, easier towing and better MPG. I think they are also less pricey than the Casitas and they are also made of fiberglass, instead of the corrugated aluminum (my trailer is too). All other questions are answered in the FAQs. Thanks again for dropping by and good luck!
Love my ‘08 FJ Cruiser. Nicely done video.
Thank you and thanks for watching! Samson has been an amazing travel companion. I take good care of my old boy.
How many miles you got? I'm creeping up on 200k at the moment. 😮
Hello fellow FJ owner!
Friendly tip that will change the game for you: invest in some real tires. At a bare minimum, All Terrain tires or hybrid RT style tires. Your traction and durability are going to go up several degrees of magnitude. 🤘🤘
You will likely wonder how you drove so many miles without them. They will look way better too;)
Made the move myself years ago never looked back.
Hi Madison! I have Adventure Cooper tires on and haven't had any issues. I've taken Samson up and down sand dunes and have never gotten stuck, so I'm not quite sure I need A/Ts. He's due for new tires now though, so I'm still weighing the pros and cons of losing .5 to 1 MPG with A/Ts. I travel a lot, so those miles add up. Consider that this was on my way to Wyoming in the summer and I am now traveling in Mexico. Happy travels and thanks for watching. ☺️
Sweet ride! Great video
Thank you! I hope you subscribe and drop by for the next video on Friday. 🙃
P what kind of gas mileage do you get pulling that trailer with your FJ?
The FJ doesn't have an MPG gauge. Toyota was smart. 😂 I can probably tow for about 3 hours on a full tank. Further if I go slow, even if it's uphill. Speed is a big determining factor, as well as whether I'm driving into winds or if the wind is behind me.
I’m at the point where I need a different vehicle, I have a company car which I’m very blessed to have but I want an off road or something reliable and I’m looking at the new Toyota tundra but I love and have always loved the Toyota FJ cruiser so I’ve been watching a ton of videos and yours just happened to pop up and The funny thing is we have a black kitty who hates to travel lol and I want to tow but I keep hearing that they are awful on gas mileage? How’s the reliability? And great video
Thank you! The FJ Cruiser is one of the most reliable little boogers you'll ever own. Believe it or not, mine has 191,000 miles and I have had no issues. All I've ever done is regular maintenance and changing the headlamps once. I tow with mine and love it, but I've never towed with anything else for comparison. Check the video description for my full tow setup and advice for towing with the FJ. Keep in mind that EVERYTHING has terrible gas mileage when it tows, the Tundra included.
I hope you manage to convince your kitty to join you on the road. Mine has come to love it. And thanks for watching my videos. I hope you subscribe and stay tuned for more. 🙏🏽
"Running out of gas" does sound like an FJ experience.
Can't argue there. 😅
What is your mileage when pulling the tv?
The FJ Cruiser doesn't have an MPG guage. Toyota knew we'd cry if we knew what the MPG actually is. 😅 I'd say I can tow for about 2.5 hours on a full tank (19 gallons) and that I can drive for about 4hrs on a full tank when not towing.
@@AlexisChateau How many miles do you go in the 2.5 hours or full tank? I had a lifted fj with 33s and I generally get around 230 miles on a full tank.
I don't check my miles. I check my hours. Ultimately, I don't care how far I travel. I care how long I'm on the road for the day, so that's just how I've always done it.
i had a 6x12 U-haul cargo trailer loaded up with sound equipment. I cried after driving a couple hours seeing that i needed to get more gas.
The struggle is real! 😅 After getting to Wyoming, I started experimenting with towing in 4 instead of D after seeing it on a forum. I use waaaay less gas that way and my mechanics say it helps protect my transmission by preventing the FJ from going into overdrive. If you ever need to do long towing journeys again, definitely ask your mechanic if that's a good idea for your vehicle. Happy travels! 😊
How many miles can you get on a full tank while towing the trailer? Ever consider rotopax to carry additional fuel?
I have considered Rotopax, but they were fresh out when I looked originally. I bought one of those cheap gas station ones and hated it, so I gave it away. Now, I've just gotten better at planning gas station stops. I don't count miles because they don't account for hills and mountain passes. I count hours. I can travel for 2.25 hours on 3 quarter tank of gas. My FJ tank capacity is 19 gallons.
I put a 14 gallon custom made tank on the back of my 2007 FJ. It is from Titan tanks. It mounts between the rear window and the spare tire. @@AlexisChateau
@@wayawolf1967 That sounds like a great setup! I'm still running on my regular tanks. So far so good!
Together so those tires you had replaced run your trailer, right? Do you know how many miles you've had on those tires? And were those the original tires when you bought the trailer and if so did you know how many miles were on those tires? It seems weird that they were getting ready to fail that way. And I wonder if those were defective tires to begin with. Do you keep track of how many miles you put on your trailer tires?
I don't think it's strange. Tires dry rot when parked and when exposed to the sun.
I bought the trailer used and those are the original tires, so I don't know how many miles are on them. One blew out while the original owners had them, so one was the spare. That's why the "new spare" was different from the others. Stock RV tires are called China bombs by RVers because they usually come from China and they blow out easily.
@@AlexisChateau Yes I know trailers tires dry rot as I've had to replace the tires on my llama trailer a few times cuz it sits more than anything else. It's not so much the tread area as it is the sidewall that rots the most because it's exposed to the sun the most. And It seems hard to find quality trailer tires unlike it's much easier to find quality automobile tires. The best thing is that somebody caught it before you had a big problem.
@@russlewis5112 Agreed! I was laughing with mom and saying what a good thing this man thought I was attractive and came nosing in my business without being a creep. If he had been creepy, I would have hopped in, drove away......and had two blowouts on the highway! He also didn't charge me to replace the tires. He only charged me for the cost of the tires themselves. The ones I have now are excellent quality. He showed me the 8 ply versus the 10 and 12. The 12 was so much better.
Hey hope your having fun and staying safe. Had a question for ya. I see you are running a weight distribution hitch and sway control. Had you ran the FJ prior without and then decided to install the weight distribution hitch/sway control or did you just get it from the beginning? Asking as I’m questioning whether I need to invest in one or not. Thanks 😊
Hey, I run a weight distribution hitch but no anti-sway bars. I've had mine from the get-go and would never tow without. I write for TAXA Outdoors. Scroll through to the tow setup part: taxaoutdoors.com/how-to-pick-the-right-tow-vehicle-for-your-rig/ Maybe you'll find it helpful. All the best!
What are the weights on your camper trailer?
Just seeing this. Sorry! My trailer's specs are in the description.
that trailer looks like it weighs more than 5000#'s
The trailer weighs 3,290 lbs dry as per the official sticker on the side and the specs for that year and model. No need to speculate and weigh with your eyes over the internet. The information is publicly available online.
didn't mean to strike a nerve - Happy trails!@@AlexisChateau
Oh man I could imagine the gas mileage I don’t haul anything with my Fj and it’s still not the best going on trips lol btw how much does your trailer weigh? And how does the stopping power with it connected?
I get better gas mileage than a lot of other RVers, so I've learned to be grateful, especially considering that I can detach once I get to camp. 😅 I have trailer brakes installed and have never had any issues with stopping power or jack-knifing during emergency stops. My goal is always to stay 80% or less under my FJ's towing capacity. You can find the full specs in the FAQs in the description.
By about to have a blowout probably more like in 3-6 months lol
The tire had already started to split, so not sure how you came to that conclusion. But thanks for dropping by.
“Kind of weird people”?? Maybe they thought you were weird too?? Be careful out there.
It really wouldn't matter to me if they did. Being treated as "weird" is the least of my worries on the road. 😂
Be safe yourself!
@@AlexisChateau we’re all weird in our own way, and that’s what makes us unique and special. By the way, what year is your FJ, and how many miles does it have? Mine is a 2008 with 150k and still runs like new. In process of purchasing an off-road teardrop trailer to tow behind.
Those who are weird are NOT boring. They are themselves, unlike others. How it should be in this world because we are all different.
STAY WEIRD! (I actually have a shirt that says this)
Thanks for your video. Ive been wanting a camper so bad. I've finally got the moolah to buy one and have been hesitant. My husband (who knows nothing about it 1st hand as he has RUclips knowledge about it) is so against it. So now I'm thinking about the unthinkable. Getting a new towing vehicle. I can't imagine this as my "black betty" is mine. I have made it mine and I love it the same as my other toy. A '14 corvette C7 Stingray Z51 Conv. Your videos have made me much more confident in just moving forward and buying a camper. My fj is lifted however. So I am trying to stay under 3000 lbs and looking for oversized tires on the trailer. Getting all the towing extras etc. Thanks again. You sure are brave. I hope to start adventuring solo with my 2 Pitts and a husky really soon.
Hi Misty! I'm sorry to hear your husband isn't interested in RVing with you. I've heard of married people who travel solo part-time. Some eventually convince their spouses, so there's always hope! Staying small and using the FJ is probably your best bet. I chose not to lift my FJ because I've heard it can affect towing stability, but that really depends on the clearance of the trailer you choose. Overland trailers have higher clearance, so keep that in mind. They can be pretty pricey too though!
Wishing you all the best and good luck. And thank you for the kind words. ❤️ If you have questions or want to bounce some ideas around, feel free to reach out. You can also check the links in the description for my newsletter. I share tips for the road. Happy travels!